Blossoming Friends

April Afternoon Japanese Garden

 The Japanese Garden in Delaware Park,  just below the Historical Society, was dedicated as a symbol of our friendship with the city of Kanazawa, Japan. We give a shout out to our friends in Kanawaza who have reached full bloom this weekend of Cherry Blossom season in Japan. We still have a few weeks to go in our neck of the woods.

http://www.buffalocherryblossomfestival.org/
http://japanesegardenofbuffalo.blogspot.com/

Buffalo Bison

Bison @Buffalo Zoo

Buffalo(nians) know how to dress for the weather. Actually, these guys are Bison, a completely different species. According to The Buffalo Zoo website, 60 million of these majestic creatures grazed the North American plains in 1700 and by 1989 there were less than 900. The site also states that Bison prefer wide open spaces, so that's why we've dropped a note in the zoo's suggestion box, calling for the Bison to have free reign of Delaware Park. Let the golfers try yelling at this 1500 lb beauty when she cuts across the 4th hole.

Snow Day

Snow returns to Delaware Park

Don't call this a comeback. Winter returns to Western New York for a brief engagement. Enjoy.

No Skating

Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park

Definitely no ice skating.

Valentine's Day

Sunset Delaware Park

Sending a little love from Delaware Park.

Delaware Soccer Club

Storefront of Delaware Soccer Club, Hertel Avenue

   Delaware Soccer Club has been providing soccer development and competition for youth in the Buffalo area since 1978. House leagues are offered in Spring and Fall for ages four and up, with games played in Delaware Park. Travel leagues offer another level of competitive soccer, playing other teams and clubs in Western New York. DSC has recently started an adult indoor league for those 19 and up, soon to be followed by their Adult Outdoor Competitive Team.

http://www.delawaresoccerclub.com/

David

The David, Delaware Park

A silouhuette of Michangelo's David looks across the Scajaquada toward the Buffalo Historical Society.
Our David is, of course a replica, but beloved all the same.

Delaware Park

Delaware Park

The Lodge

Parkside Lodge

The Lodge was opened in 1914 and serving as locker house and lounge for Buffalo's lawn bowling and golf leagues that utilized the adjacent greens in this section of Delaware Park. The lodge has served many purposes over the years, including hub for the remaining golf course. The bowling greens have come back into their own and are active today. Use of the main room of the lodge is even available for rent. 

Autumn scene

Darkened Hoyt Lake in Early Autumn

The  rowboats removed. The weather settling in. Autumn on Hoyt Lake. Buffalo, New York. 

Young Lincoln

Young Lincoln, Delaware Park

Young Lincoln, cast in bronze in 1935 by Bryant Baker, sits book in hand in Delaware Park. Just off the street of Lincoln Parkway, this wonderful sculpture, capturing the spirit of the young man who would be president, compels passers by to stop and regard. This impressive piece is one of three presidential works by Baker to call Buffalo home. The two others, created in the 1930's, pay tribute to Buffalo native sons and Presidents Grover Cleveland and Millard Fillmore, and flank the entrance to Buffalo City Hall.

Buffalo Croquet Club ~ Wicket Awesome

Buffalo Croquet Club Invitational / Delaware Park

The game can trace its origins back, in some accounts, to the early 1600's. Others note its predecessor's origins in Ireland via Brittany circa 1100. The game we recognize today as croquet became wildly popular in 1860's England. A wild time, indeed, for this most civilized form of lawn billiards. Some speculate that croquet may be the godfather of that other most civilized game Buffalonians hold so dear, hockey. That's a matter of debate, but there is no argument from out of town visitors to the Buffalo Croquet Club's Inaugural 6 Wicket Invitational, that the BCC

are excellent hosts. The lovely, fine grasses of the Delaware Park croquet field are hiding behind a hedge and wrought iron fence next to the Parkside Lodge. This observer noted many visiting players of the tournament,impressed with the well maintained lawn bowling fields and the Arts and Crafts lodge. The original lawns predate the lodge by two years, which were first played upon in 1912. What could be more stress relieving than this Victorian game played in our beautiful Olmsted Park?

What we once thought was a secret society playing on the bocce lawn under the lights at night, is really a bunch of very nice, fun loving folks looking for like minded ladies and gentlemen to join them. Interested players can Contact the Buffalo Croquet Club through the Olmsted Parks Conservancy site.

https://www.bfloparks.org/organizer/buffalo-croquet-club/

Radial symmetry

Reddy Bikes- Delaware Park at Nottingham

It was all over the news today. Buffalo has a bikeshare! And that got me thinking of other cities that have a bike share. They're blue Citibikes in New York. And that got me wondering if Buffalo was at all modeled after New York City during our first surge, as Buffalo grew into the 2nd most populous city alongside NYC. But, actually, and serendipitously, the plans for Buffalo were made to resemble those of the radial plan by L'Enfant for Washington, the nation's new capital. Buffalo is only one of three American cities that have a radial street pattern like the shape of bicycle spokes. The plan, created by Joseph Ellicott in 1804, the local Holland Land Company agent, was inspired when he helped his brother Andrew survey the plans for the new capital, to be known as Washington, D.C. Ellicott brought the radial design to the plan for Buffalo, then known as the village of New Amsterdam. 

But back to bikes! The new Reddy Bikeshare program was celebrated this morning, and several sites are ready for sharing. Not only does this add a real, big-city air to the Queen City, it promotes a well-being for us all, and a way to see more of Buffalo. The links below offer more information on locations and prices. Let's roll! 

https://reddybikeshare.socialbicycles.com/

http://live.buffalonews.com/2016/07/20/wont-buy-bike-travel-buffalo-new-sharing-program/

Sunday Sanctuary

A View of the Japanese Garden - Mirror Lake

The sole occupant of the string of tiny islands in Mirror Lake is a white crane. The scene could be that of  a Buddhist meditative sanctuary, but it is just off the Scajaquada Expressway and Elmwood Avenue. Tucked in behind the Historical Society and Nottingham Terrace, you will find the Japanese Garden, quiet, understated and tranquil as it was intended to be. The walkway that passes through the garden, shadows the creek taking you from the lake at Delaware Park across the former Parkway, now the Scajaquada Expressway (Route 198 ), along Nottingham Terrace to the Garden, and all the way to Niagara Street. The garden is based on the design of a garden in our sister city of Kanazawa, Japan and installed by skilled Japanese artisans. The garden fits seamlessly into the Olmsted design, which itself was influenced by that country's nature-based architecture. The ancient quality of the garden does not belie its 1970s construction, and that is a good thing. In 2012 it was dedicated as an International Peace Garden commemorating our post War of 1812 peace, exemplified by the longest unprotected border in the world, that between the U.S. and Canada.

http://www.ipgf.org/gardens/go.asp?siteid=buffaloja1812
http://buffaloah.com/a/notting/25/jap/jap.html